Replacement Closet Doors: What To Ask Your Contractor

replacement closet doors

Closet Doors - Such a Nice Update If Done Right. Such a Mess if Done Wrong. Got an old house? The kind with the flat-panel doors, probably in an old wood veneer that has seen better days? Replacing them with moulded-panel, composite wood doors (not solid wood) isn't difficult or expensive, … [Read more...]

Cost of House Painting: Tales from a Paint-Quality Evangelist

House Painting: a Kitchen in Austin Texas

Does Expensive Paint Cost a Lot More? I've been called a paint snob in the past. I used to think the name-callers had basis for their action, but then I looked up the definition of snob: "A snob is someone who believes that some people are inherently inferior to him or her for any one of a … [Read more...]

For Sale By Owner in Austin Texas: How Sell It On Your Own

Do You Know How to FSBO? Some homeowners choose to try to sell their homes For Sale by Owner (FSBO, pronounced "Fizz-Bo") before enlisting the assistance of a real estate agent. Although fewer than 25% of FSBOs properties sell, if you're not in a hurry to move on to your next place, you can try … [Read more...]

Getting Rid of PMI: 3 Ways to Stop Paying for Private Mortgage Insurance

Save Monthly on Your Mortgage by Getting Rid of PMI on Your Home Loan Tired of paying PMI? PMI is an insurance product you will normally be required to have when you put less than 20% down when you buy a home. The less you are able to put down, the more your Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) … [Read more...]

Austin Condo Loans and Austin Condo Sales: June 2011 Update

Austin Condo Loans and Condo Financing – Tougher to Get? Yes. A condo loan requires both the buyer and the condo association to qualify. Even a highly qualified buyer may not be able to purchase a condo, if the condo development is not as financially stable as a lender requires. Some … [Read more...]

Austin Crime Map: Researching Austin Texas Neighborhoods

Austin Crime Viewer

Want to Find Good Austin Texas Neighborhoods? Looking for a new neighborhood in Austin Texas? Check out the Austin Crime Viewer (Austin Crime Map), maintained by the APD. You can plug in an address and find out what has been happening in and around the neighborhood. Buying a Home in … [Read more...]

5 Things To Do Now to Buy a Home in 2011 in Austin Texas

Buy a Home in Austin TX in 2011

What Do You Need to Do Now to Buy a Home in 2011? 2011 is almost half over, but you can still be a home owner by the end of the year. It's All About the Money To buy a home, you have to look at the money, first, as un-fun as that may be. When you know your numbers, you know what your options … [Read more...]

Appraisal Preparation Tips: Does the Appraiser Care How Neat Your Home Is?

Appraisal Preparation - Cluttered Is Not Good

Does the Appraiser Care How Neat Your Home Is? The short answer is: it depends, maybe or yes. Most of us know that when you put your house on the market, it needs to look and be as spiffy as possible. For this reason, many of the resale homes we appraise have been de-cluttered and carefully … [Read more...]

What is Escrow? Texas Real Estate Explained

What is Escrow in Texas Real Estate

What is Escrow and Why Is It Part of My Texas Real Estate Transaction? Would you give your money to the seller of the home you're buying while they're still living in it and before you have the keys and the title to the property? Hopefully you answered, "no". An Escrow Account Keeps … [Read more...]

Home Buying Tips: Beware of Divorcing Home Owners

Home Buyer Tips: Buying from Divorcing Home Owners

Home Buying Tips: Buying a Property from Divorcing Owners Think you can get a good deal when sellers need to sell because they are getting divorced? Are you prepared to be sucked into a complicated transaction? What to Know Before You Buy from Divorcing Owners Houses go on the market all of … [Read more...]